The Arguments in Favor of Vertical Farms

Intensifying indoor urban farming through the establishment of vertical farms
(or high-rise farms) in urban centers is the likely solution to the
swelling human population. The argument in favor of this technology in
relation to food security is convincing, plus it has plenty more
benefits too.

According to the United Nations Population Division (2009), the world population will increase from about 6.9 billion in 2010 to 9.2 billion in 2050 or an addition of about 2.3 billion more people to feed. The percentage of urban population will likewise increase from 50.46% in 2010 to 68.70% in 2050. It is expected that world population will continue to increase. Currently, the rate of growth per year is about 80 million.

This is a major concern because the land area of the Earth is limited only to about 13 billion hectares. In 2008, the total agricultural area in the world was about 4.88 billion hectares (FAOSTAT, 2010).

In consideration of the world forecast on population growth rate, food security, adverse effects of the continuing horizontal farming activities on the ecology and climate, health and nutrition and other factors, the purported advantages of this farming technology are summarized:

1. Increased and Year-round Crop Production. This farming technology can ensure crop production all year-round in
non-tropical regions. 1 indoor acre is equivalent to 4-6 outdoor acres
or more, depending on the crop. For strawberries, 1 indoor acre may
produce yield equivalent to 30 acres.

Despommier suggests that a
building 30 storeys high with a basal area of 5 acres (2.02 ha) has the
potential of producing crop yield equivalent to 2,400 acres (971.2 ha)
of traditional horizontal farming. Expressed in ratio, this means that 1
high-rise farm is equal to 480 traditional horizontal farms.

2. Protection from Weather-related Problems.
Because the crops will be grown under controlled environment, they
will be safe from extreme weather occurences such as droughts and
floods.

3. Organic Crops Production. The
advantages of this urban farming technology can be further exploited by
large scale production of organic crops. The controlled growing
conditions will allow a reduction or total abandonment of the use of
chemical pesticides.

4. Water Conservation and Recycling.
According to Despommier, the vertical farming technology includes
hydroponics which uses 70 percent lesser water than normal agriculture.
Aeroponics will also be used which consumes 70 percent less water
compared to hydroponics. Urban wastes like black water will be
composted, recycled and used for farming inside the building. Sewage
sludge will be converted to topsoil and processed for the extraction of
water for agricultural use or drinking water.

5. Environment Friendly.
Every land area that will be developed for this farming technology
will reduce by a hundred fold the necessity of utilizing land for food
production. These farms could be reverted to their natural state. This
will promote the regrowth of trees which are effective in CO2
sequestration.

Growing crops indoor reduces or eliminates the
use of mechanical plows, and other equipment, thus reducing the burning
of fossil fuel. As a result, there will be a significant reduction in
air pollution and CO2 emission that cause climatic change. Furthermore,
CO2 emission will be reduced from shipping crops across continents and
oceans. A healthier environment will be enhanced for both humans and
animals.

Lesser disturbance to the land surface will also favor
the increase in the population of animals that live in and around
farmlands. Vertical farming therefore favors biodiversity.

The availability of fresh and safe food will be beneficial to the population.

7. Energy Conservation and Production.
Selling of the crops in the same building in which they are grown will
significantly reduce the consumption of fuel that is used in
transporting the crops to the consumers.

Vertical farms can also
generate power. Although a 30-story vertical farm needs 26 million kwh
of electricity, it is capable of generating 56 million kwh through the
use of biogas digesters and by capturing solar energy
(medicalecology.org).

8. Sustainable Urban Growth.
Vertical farming, applied in a holistic approach in conjunction with
other technologies, can allow urban areas to absorb the expected influx
of more population and yet still remain food sufficient. The technology
could provide more employment to the rural populace expected to converge
to the cities in the years to come. However, traditional farming will
continue because many crops are not suited to indoor farming.